GPB Passport icon GPB Passport icon Passport
GPB donate icon GPB donate icon Donate
Sign Up For Our Newsletter

News Articles: South Africa

South Africa's Tatjana Schoenmaker, second from right, cheers with teammate Kaylene Corbett, right, and medalists Annie Lazor and Lilly King of Team USA after winning the final of the women's 200m breaststroke swimming event at the Tokyo Aquatics Centre on Friday.

See These Swimmers Share A Sweet Hug After South Africa Takes Gold And A World Record

In addition to smashing a longtime world record, Tatjana Schoenmaker took home South Africa's first gold medal of the Tokyo Games.

|
By:
  • Rachel Treisman
A farm worker grades and treats rooibos tea leaves before packaging in the Clanwilliam district of South Africa in 2017.

Rooibos Tea Is Africa's First Food To Join The EU's List Of Protected Products

Rooibos joins France's Champagne, Greece's feta cheese and Colombian coffee on the list. The tea is said to have numerous health benefits.

|
By:
  • Rachel Treisman
Residents wait to register at a mass vaccination site in Johannesburg on July 8.

The Downs And Ups Of Africa's Current COVID Surge

The World Health Organization has reported a downturn after 8 weeks of increasing cases. But the good news comes with a large dose of caution.

|
By:
  • Nurith Aizenman
A computer-enhanced image of the HIV virus.

Protecting The Immuno-Compromised Against COVID Could Be Key To Ending The Pandemic

Vaccines may not be as effective for those who are immuno-compromised. Protecting them needs to be made a top priority, says researchers — to keep them safe and to slow the emergence of variants.

|
By:
  • Nurith Aizenman
The numerals in the illustration show the main mutation sites of the B.1.1.7 variant first detected in the U.K., which is more transmissible than other variants. Here, the virus's spike protein (red) is bound to a human cell (blue).

Is The Variant From India The Most Contagious Coronavirus Mutant On The Planet?

Scientists are trying to determine if the coronavirus variant in India could be the most transmissible variant known.

|
By:
  • Michaeleen Doucleff
Like all viruses, the coronavirus mutates. Above: In this depiction of the the South African coronavirus variant B.1.531, the thin yellow band around the rim of indicates a mutation site. The virus spike (red) is attaching to a human cell receptor (blue).

People Are Talking About A 'Double Mutant' Variant In India. What Does That Mean?

The term is a reference to two particular mutations in SARS-CoV-2. But the variant in India could carry additional mutations.

|
By:
  • Michaeleen Doucleff
Firefighters douse the destroyed Jagger Library at the University of Cape Town, South Africa. A wildfire raging on the slopes of Cape Town's Table Mountain spread to the university, forcing the evacuation of students.

Fast-Moving Fire On Table Mountain Destroys South African Landmarks, History

A fire spread from Table Mountain National Park to the University of Cape Town, where collections were destroyed at the Jagger Library.

|
By:
  • Jaclyn Diaz
In July, workers in the restaurant, food and alcohol industry took part in a nationwide protest against South Africa's liquor ban and other lockdown measures.

Why South Africa Banned Booze — And What Happened Next

The hope was that if people weren't out drinking, they wouldn't be spreading the coronavirus. There were unforeseen benefits to the ban, which ended last month — and negative impacts as well.

|
By:
  • Eyder Peralta
Thulja Hurkchand as a young woman and with her son Hitesh. She'd tell him, "Don't worry. It's going to be okay. I'm going to be okay." Yet in the face of the pandemic, he couldn't help but worry.

A Race To Protect His Country — And His Mother

For this health expert based in Boston, the effort to get vaccines to his native South Africa was intensely personal.

|
By:
  • Nurith Aizenman
A health worker inoculates 72-year-old Olga D'arc Pimentel with a dose of Oxford-AstraZeneca's COVID-19 vaccine. She lives on the banks of the Rio Negro near Manaus, Brazil. A small study in South Africa has raised concerns about the AstraZeneca vaccine's effectiveness.

You Think The U.S. Has Vaccine Issues? 130 Countries Haven't Even Started Vaccinating

For low- and middle-income countries, just obtaining doses has been a challenge. And now concerns are being raised about the effectiveness of the more affordable AstraZeneca option.

|
By:
  • Jason Beaubien
After a small study raised concerns about the effectiveness of the AstraZeneca vaccine against the variant in South Africa, the country put its AstraZeneca vaccine plans on hold. "It is time, unfortunately, for us to recalibrate our expectation of COVID-19 vaccines," said Shabir Madhi, professor of vaccinology at the University of Witwatersrand, shown above at a vaccine trial facility.

Why South Africa Is Putting The AstraZeneca Vaccine On Hold

A study raised concerns about its effectiveness against the coronavirus variant sweeping through the country — although the data is too preliminary for definitive conclusions.

|
By:
  • Maria Godoy

Africa's Hit Science Show For Kids Is Coming To The U.S.

African TV execs say it's unlike any show for kids that's been produced and broadcast on the continent — especially with its focus on women presenters and scientists.

|
By:
  • Amy Fallon
A health care worker from the Medical University of South Carolina administers a coronavirus test this month in Charleston, S.C. U.S. health authorities said Thursday that the first U.S. cases of the variant that emerged from South Africa were detected in South Carolina.

South Carolina Reports 1st Known U.S. Cases Of Variant From South Africa

"At this time, we have no evidence that infections by this variant cause more severe disease," the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says.

|
By:
  • Bill Chappell
Moderna will test new COVID-19 vaccine booster doses, saying that while its vaccine should protect against variants found in the U.K. and South Africa, it isn't as effective against the South African strain. Here, a bus in London carries a sign telling people, "Act Like You've Got It" — to prevent the coronavirus from spreading.

Moderna Finds COVID-19 Vaccine Still Protects Against Emerging Strains

In a new round of tests, the drug company wants to see if booster doses of its vaccine will ramp up defenses against emerging strains of the coronavirus.

|
By:
  • Bill Chappell
Workers check oxygen tanks at a hospital in Manaus, Brazil. Severe oxygen shortages as a second coronavirus wave is surging have prompted local authorities to airlift patients to other parts of Brazil.

Reinfections More Likely With New Coronavirus Variants, Evidence Suggests

The variant in Brazil is causing a surge in Manaus, a city where the virus previously infected huge numbers in the spring of 2020. Researchers are trying to determine why.

|
By:
  • Michaeleen Doucleff